Heuchera plant named &#39;ifherb&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Heuchera  plant named ‘IFHERB’, characterized by its compact and uniformly mounded plant habit; densely foliated and bushy appearance; dark greyed purple-colored leaves; long flowering period; numerous inflorescences with red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Heuchera hybrid.

Cultivar denomination: ‘IFHERB’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Heuchera plant,botanically known as Heuchera hybrid and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘IFHERB’.

The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Heucheraplants with attractive leaf coloration and good garden performance.

The new Heuchera plant originated from a cross-pollination in May, 2011in Andijk, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Heuchera hybrididentified as code number 083-11-K013-01, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Heuchera hybrididentified as code number 083-11-K011-03, not patented, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Heuchera plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inAndijk, The Netherlands in June, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Heuchera plant by in vitro meristemculture in a controlled environment in Andijk, The Netherlands sinceMay, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Heuchera plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Heuchera plant has not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘IFHERB’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘IFHERB’ as a new and distinct Heuchera plant:

-   -   1. Compact and uniformly mounded plant habit.    -   2. Densely foliated and bushy appearance.    -   3. Dark greyed purple-colored leaves.    -   4. Long flowering period.    -   5. Numerous inflorescences with red purple-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Heuchera differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in leaf color as plants of the new Heuchera have darkgreyed purple-colored leaves whereas plants of the female parentselection have purple and white-colored leaves. In addition, plants ofthe new Heuchera differ from plants of the female parent selection inflower color as plants of the new Heuchera have red purple-coloredflowers whereas flowers of plants of the female parent selection havepure white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Heuchera differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in leaf color as plants of the new Heuchera have darkgreyed purple-colored leaves whereas plants of the male parent selectionhave red-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of Heuchera hybrid‘TNHEUFR’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,644. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Heuchera differ primarily from plants of‘TNHEUFR’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Heuchera grow slower than plants of        ‘TNHEUFR’.    -   2. Plants of the new Heuchera and ‘TNHEUFR’ differ in leaf color        as plants of the new Heuchera have dark greyed purple-colored        leaves whereas plants of ‘TNHEUFR’ have red to burgundy-colored        leaves.    -   3. Plants of the new Heuchera and ‘TNHEUFR’ differ in flower        color as plants of the new Heuchera have red purple-colored        flowers whereas plants of ‘TNHEUFR’ have pure white-colored        flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Heuchera plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Heuchera plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘IFHERB’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical leaves of ‘IFHERB’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of atypical inflorescence of ‘IFHERB’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer with three plants ina 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Heerhugowaard, TheNetherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Heucheraproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 10° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 15° C.Plants were 18 weeks old when the photographs and the description weretaken. In the description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Heuchera hybrid ‘IFHERB’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Heuchera            hybrid identified as code number 083-11-K013-01, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Heuchera            hybrid identified as code number 083-11-K011-03, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By in vitro meristem culture.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at            temperatures about 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 15 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 42 days            at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 50 days            at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically light brown in            color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,            substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; basal rosette            plant habit with leaves developing from the base; densely            foliated and dense and bushy appearance; compact and            uniformly mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth            habit; moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 28            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescences.—About            59.6 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 63 cm.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate in basal rosettes; simple.        -   Length.—About 15.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 14.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Broadly ovate; palmately lobed.        -   Apex.—Obtuse with a small and short abruptly acute tip.        -   Base.—Hastate, lobes touching to slightly imbricate.        -   Margin.—About seven lobe per leaf; crenate with small and            short abruptly acute tips; sinuses medium in depth and            divergent; moderately to strongly undulate.        -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Sparsely pubescent;            slightly glossy.        -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Sparsely pubescent;            moderately glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 185A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 187C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to between N77C and            N187B to N187C; distally, close to between N87A and 200A;            venation, close to between 200A and 203C. Fully expanded            leaves, lower surface: Close to between N77A and 187A to            187B; venation, close to N79B to N79C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 19.9 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Densely pubescent; moderately glossy. Color,            upper surface: Close to N186C. Color, lower surface: Close            to 187A.        -   Stipules.—Quantity and arrangement: One at the base of each            leaf. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate with acute apex. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 187A; distally, close to N79C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single campanulate flowers            arranged on axillary compound spikes; each spike with about            100 flowers; about 1,000 flowers develop per plant during            the flowering season; flowers are mostly nodding to slightly            outwardly-facing.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Time of flowering.—Plants flower continuously from the            spring into the summer in The Netherlands; plants begin            flowering about four months after planting.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Individual flowers last about a            week on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 30.1 cm.        -   Inflorescence width.—About 10.4 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4.5 mm by 4.5 mm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 9 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Elliptic. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent;            matte. Color: Distally, close to 63D and proximally, close            to 58B.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals in a single            whorl. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape:            Oblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Narrow attenuate. Margin:            Entire to shallowly incised towards the apex. Texture and            luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and            luster, lower surface: Sparsely pubescent; matte. Color:            When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155D            tinged with close to 186D; distally, close to N74D. Fully            opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to between 186D and            NN155D; venation, close to between 186D and NN155D; color            does not change with development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals in a single            whorl; lower 65% fused. Length: About 7 mm. Width: About            1.5 mm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.            Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte.            Texture and luster, lower surface: Densely pubescent; matte.            Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 186D; distally,            close to 59D. When opening, lower surface: Close to 186D;            distally, close to 59D; proximally, close to 63C. Fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 59D. Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 59A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 62.2 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Erect to about 35° from            vertical. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent; glossy.            Color: Close to N186C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 45° from peduncle            axis. Texture and luster: Moderately to densely pubescent;            slightly glossy. Color: Close to N186C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five per            flower. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close            to 76D. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther shape: Deltoid.            Anther color: Close to 22B. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 23A. Gynoecium: Pistil number: Two per            flower. Pistil length: About 3.25 mm. Style length: About            3 mm. Style color: Close to 76D. Stigma diameter: About            0.2 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to            58A. Ovary color: Close to 76C.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have            not been observed on plants of the new Heuchera.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Heuchera have    not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Heuchera plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Heuchera have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate high temperatures about    35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Heuchera plant named ‘IFHERB’ asillustrated and described.